Rabbinic Judaism and General Culture-Gerald J. Blidstein
Explicit discussion of the legitimacy of knowledge that is not anchored in the Judaic tradition generally takes place in the context of the norm of Torah-study. That is to say, the question will be generally framed as to whether one may study non-Judaic material (or nontoraitic materials); a common phrase relates to the study of “Greek wisdom” as the topic mooted. This, itself, is characteristic of the rabbinic perspective which attaches fundamental significance to study as a primary activity of the Jew, and as the matrix from which flow value and meaning. If one wants to ask whether non-Judaic culture is a legitimate component of a Jew’s consciousness, one begins by asking whether it is a legitimate object of study. As we shall see, to be more precise one asks how such knowledge relates to the overarching imperative that Torah be the object of study. The possible illegitimacy of non-Judaic knowledge is the flip side, then, of the totalizing legitimacy of Torah. What is derived from a Greek source is ipso facto contaminated; it can certainly not be normative. But the reluctance to banish “Greek wisdom” on its own merits may have other, different, implications. The most explicit discussion of our topic by the Sages focuses on the legitimacy of studying “Greek wisdom” (hokhmat Yevanit) or “the wisdom of the nations,” alongside or instead of the “wisdom of Israel” (hokhmat Yisrael). Though no talmudic source indicates what is included in this wisdom, it is likely that literature, rhetoric, and philosophy are what is meant, while language instruction is a matter of further debate.
(ו) ודברת בם. עשם עיקר ואל תעשם טפילה, שלא יהיה משאך ומתנך אלא עליהם, שלא תערב בהם דברים. שלא תאמר "למדתי חכמת ישראל - אלך ואלמוד חכמת אומות העולם" - ת"ל (ויקרא יח) "ושמרתם את מצותי ללכת בהם", ולא ליפטר מתוכם. וכן הוא אומר (משלי ה) "יהיו לך לבדך, ואין לזרים אתך":
(6) (Devarim, Ibid.) "And you shall speak in them": Make them (words of Torah) primary and not secondary, that your dealings be only in them, that you not intermix other words with them, that you not say: I have learned the wisdom of Israel; I shall now go and learn the wisdom of the Canaanites. It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 18:4) "to walk therein," and not to depart therefrom. And thus is it written (Proverbs 5:17) "Let them be to you alone and not to strangers with you."
אמר ר' אמי מדבריו של ר' יוסי נלמוד אפילו לא שנה אדם אלא פרק אחד שחרית ופרק אחד ערבית קיים מצות (יהושע א, ח) לא ימוש (את) ספר התורה הזה מפיך אמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי אפילו לא קרא אדם אלא קרית שמע שחרית וערבית קיים לא ימוש ודבר זה אסור לאומרו בפני עמי הארץ ורבא אמר מצוה לאומרו בפני עמי הארץ שאל בן דמה בן אחותו של ר' ישמעאל את ר' ישמעאל כגון אני שלמדתי כל התורה כולה מהו ללמוד חכמת יונית קרא עליו המקרא הזה לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך והגית בו יומם ולילה צא ובדוק שעה שאינה לא מן היום ולא מן הלילה ולמוד בה חכמת יונית ופליגא דר' שמואל בר נחמני דאמר ר' שמואל בר נחמני אמר ר' יונתן פסוק זה אינו לא חובה ולא מצוה אלא ברכה ראה הקב"ה את יהושע שדברי תורה חביבים עליו ביותר שנאמר (שמות לג, יא) ומשרתו יהושע בן נון נער לא ימיש מתוך האהל אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא יהושע כל כך חביבין עליך דברי תורה לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך
The baraita teaches that according to Rabbi Yosei, even if the old shewbread remained on the Table for a short while in the morning, and the new shewbread was placed on the Table toward evening, and even though it did not reside constantly on the Table, this fulfills the requirement that the shewbread should always be on the Table. Rabbi Ami says: From Rabbi Yosei’s statement we may learn that even if a person learned only one chapter of the Mishna in the morning and one chapter of the Mishna in the evening, he has thereby fulfilled the mitzva of: “This Torah scroll shall not depart from your mouth, and you shall contemplate in it day and night, that you may take heed to do according to all that is written in it, for then you shall make your ways prosperous, and then you shall have good success” (Joshua 1:8). Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: Even if a person recited only the recitation of Shema in the morning and in the evening, he has fulfilled the mitzva of: “This Torah scroll shall not depart from your mouth.” And it is prohibited to state this matter in the presence of ignoramuses [amei ha’aretz], as they are likely to get the impression that there is no need to study Torah beyond this. And Rava says: On the contrary, it is a mitzva to state this matter in the presence of ignoramuses, as they will realize that if merely reciting the Shema leads to such a great reward, all the more so how great is the reward of those who study Torah all day and night. Ben Dama, son of Rabbi Yishmael’s sister, asked Rabbi Yishmael: In the case of one such as I, who has learned the entire Torah, what is the halakha with regard to studying Greek wisdom? Rabbi Yishmael recited this verse about him: “This Torah scroll shall not depart from your mouth, and you shall contemplate in it day and night.” Go and search for an hour that is neither part of the day nor part of the night, and learn Greek wisdom in it. The Gemara notes: And this statement of Rabbi Yishmael’s disagrees with the opinion of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, as Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yonatan says: This verse is neither an obligation nor a mitzva, but a blessing. Rabbi Yonatan explains: The Holy One, Blessed be He, saw Joshua and observed that the words of Torah were very precious to him, as it is stated: “And the Lord spoke to Moses face-to-face…and his servant Joshua, son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the Tent” (Exodus 33:11). The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Joshua: Joshua, are the words of Torah so precious to you? I bless you that “this Torah scroll shall not depart from your mouth.”
What can be gained?
In 5538 (1778), R. Baruch visited the Gra, from whom he drew encouragement and direction. This is what R. Baruch writes in the introduction to his translation of Euclid:
I heard from his holy mouth that in accordance with what a person lacks in general knowledge, he will be lacking a hundredfold in Torah knowledge, for Torah and general wisdom are closely joined together… And he commanded me to translate into our holy language what is possible from general knowledge, in order to remove the stolen property from their mouths, and so that wisdom will increase among our people Israel,… and the tongue of the nations will be removed who bellow at us, Where is your wisdom, and the name of heaven is desecrated… Therefore my heart has filled with the desire to sanctify God's name and do the will of the righteous one, our master, the pious one, to translate whatever possible into our holy language….
אמר רבי שמעון בן פזי אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי משום בר קפרא כל היודע לחשב בתקופות ומזלות ואינו חושב עליו הכתוב אומר ואת פעל ה׳ לא יביטו ומעשה ידיו לא ראו אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר רבי יוחנן מנין שמצוה על האדם לחשב תקופות ומזלות שנאמר ושמרתם ועשיתם כי היא חכמתכם ובינתכם לעיני העמים איזו חכמה ובינה שהיא לעיני העמים הוי אומר זה חישוב תקופות ומזלות:
והאמר רב שמונה עשר חדשים גדלתי אצל רועה בהמה לידע איזה מום קבוע ואיזה מום עובר
The Gemara rejects this answer. But didn’t Rav say: I apprenticed with a shepherd for eighteen months in order to be able to know which blemish is a permanent blemish, and which is a temporary blemish? Evidently, he had a high level of practical expertise in this matter.
ודע שהדברים שאומרם באלו הפרקים, ובמה שיבא מן הפירוש אינם ענינים בדיתים אני מעצמי, ולא פירושים שחדשתים, ואמנם הם ענינים לקטתים מדברי החכמים במדרשות ובתלמוד וזולתו מחבוריהם, ומדברי הפילוסופים גם כן הקדומים והחדשים, ומחבורים הרבה מבני אדם, ושמע האמת ממי שאמרו, ואפשר שאביא פעמים מאמר אחד כלו מספר מפורסם בלשונו, ואין בכל זה רוע, ואיני מתפאר במה שאמרו מי שקדם, שאני כבר התודעתי בזה, ואף על פי שלא אזכור אמר פלוני אמר פלוני שזה אריכות אין תועלת בו, ואפשר שהיה מביא שם האיש ההוא לחשוב מי שאין חיך לו שהדבר ההוא נפסד, ובתוכו רע, שלא יבינהו, ומפני זה ראיתי שלא לזכור האומר, שכוונתי התועלת לקורא ולבאר לו הענינים הגנוזים בזאת המסכתא, ואני מתחיל עתה לזכור הפרקים אשר ראיתי להקדים הנה לפי כוונתי, והם שמונה פרקים:
Know, however, that the ideas presented in these chapters and in the following commentary are not of my own invention; neither did I think out the explanations contained therein, but I have gleaned them from the words of the wise occurring in the Midrashim, in the Talmud, and in other of their works, as well as from the words of the philosophers, ancient and recent, and also from the works of various authors, as one should accept the truth from whatever source it proceeds. Sometimes, I may give a statement in full, word for word in the author's own language, but there is no harm in this, and it is not done with the intention of glorifying myself by presenting as my own something that was said by others before me, since I have just confessed (my indebtedness to others), even though I do not say "so and so said", which would necessitate useless prolixity. Sometimes, too, the mentioning of the name of the authority drawn upon might lead one who lacks insight to believe that the statement quoted is faulty, and wrong in itself, because he does not understand it. Therefore, I prefer not to mention the authority, for my intention is only to be of service to the reader, and to elucidate for him the thoughts hidden in this tractate. I shall now begin the chapters, which, in accordance with my intention, are to serve here as an introduction, which is to consist of eight chapters.
And the explanation of all these calculations and what reason we add this amount and what reason we subtract and how we know each and every thing from these things and the proof for each and every thing is [all from] the wisdom of the seasons and of geometry, about which the sages of Greece composed many books. And they are now found in the hands of the sages. But the books that were composed by the Sages of Israel that were in the times of the prophets from the Children of Yissachar did not reach us. But since all of these things are with clear proofs that have no doubt and it is impossible for a person to question them, we are not concerned about the author - whether the prophets composed them or the nations composed them. As [regarding] anything the explanation of which is revealed and its truth is known from proofs that have no doubt, we relay on the man that said it or taught it with the proof that is revealed and the reason that is known.
ואתה יודע כי אלו הענינים נקשרים קצתם בקצתם. והוא - שאין במציאה זולתי האלוק ית' ומעשיו כולם - והם כל מה שכללה אותו המציאה בלעדיו - ואין דרך להשיגו אלא ממעשיו והם המורים על מציאותו ועל מה שצריך שיאמין בו - רצוני לומר מה שיחויב לו או ישולל ממנו ית'. יתחיב אם כן בהכרח לבחון הנמצאות כולם כפי מה שהם עד שניקח מכל מין ומין הקדמות אמיתיות צודקות יועילונו בבקשותינו האלוקיות. וכמה הקדמות ילקחו מטבע המנין ומסגולות צורות התשבורת יורו לנו על ענינים נרחיקם ממנו ית'. ותורנו הרחקתם על הרבה ענינים. אמנם עניני התכונה הגלגלית והחכמה הטבעית איני רואה שתספק בהיותם דברים הכרחיים בהשיג ערך העולם להנהגת האלוק איך היא לפי האמת לא כפי הדמיונות. ויש ענינים רבים עיוניים - ואף על פי שלא ילקחו מהם הקדמות לזאת החכמה - אלא שהם ירגילו השכל ויקנוהו קנין עשות המופת וידיעת האמת בענינים העצמיים לו (ויסירו השיבושים הנמצאים ברוב דעות המעיינים מהסתפקות הענינים המקריים בעצמיים ומה שיתחדש בעבור זה מהפסד הדעות) מחובר אל ציור הענינים ההם כפי מה שהם גם כן - ואם לא יהיו שורש לחכמה האלוקית ואינם נמלטים מתועלות אחרות בענינים מקרבים לחכמה ההיא. אי אפשר אם כן בהכרח למי שירצה השלמות האנושי מבלתי התלמד תחילה במלאכת ההיגיון ואחר כן בלימודיות לפי הסדר ואחר כן בטבעיות ואחר כן באלוקיות: וכבר מצאנו רבים ילאה שכלם בקצת אלו החכמות; וגם אם לא יקצר שכלם אפשר שיפסיק בהם המות והם בקצת ההצעות. ואילו לא ניתן לנו דעת על צד הקבלה בשום פנים ולא הישירונו אל דבר במשל אלא שנחויב בציור השלם בגדרים העצמיים ובהאמין במה שירצה להאמין בו במופת (וזה אי אפשר אלא אחר ההצעות הארוכות) היה מביא זה למות רוב האנשים והם לא ידעו היש אלוק לעולם או אין אלוק כל שכן שיחויב לו דין או ירוחק ממנו חסרון; ולא היה ניצל מזה המות אלא 'אחד מעיר ושנים ממשפחה'.
You, however, know how all these subjects are connected together; for there is nothing else in existence but God and His works, the latter including all existing things besides Him: we can only obtain a knowledge of Him through His works; His works give evidence of His existence, and show what must be assumed concerning Him, that is to say, what must be attributed to Him either affirmatively or negatively. It is thus necessary to examine all things according to their essence, to infer from every species such true and well established propositions as may assist us in the solution of metaphysical problems. Again, many propositions based on the nature of numbers and the properties of geometrical figures, are useful in examining things which must be negatived in reference to God, and these negations will lead us to further inferences. You will certainly not doubt the necessity of studying astronomy and physics, if you are desirous of comprehending the relation between the world and Providence as it is in reality, and not according to imagination. There are also many subjects of speculation, which, though not preparing the way for metaphysics, help to train the reasoning power, enabling it to understand the nature of a proof, and to test truth by characteristics essential to it. They remove the confusion arising in the minds of most thinkers, who confound accidental with essential properties, and likewise the wrong opinions resulting therefrom. We may add, that although they do not form the basis for metaphysical research, they assist in forming a correct notion of these things, and are certainly useful in many other things connected with that discipline. Consequently he who wishes to attain to human perfection, must therefore first study Logic, next the various branches of Mathematics in their proper order, then Physics, and lastly Metaphysics. We find that many who have advanced to a certain point in the study of these disciplines become weary, and stop: that others, who are endowed with sufficient capacity, are interrupted in their studies by death, which surprises them while still engaged with the preliminary course. Now, if no knowledge whatever had been given,' to us by means of tradition, and if we had not been brought to the belief in a thing through the medium of similes, we would have been bound to form a perfect notion of things with their essential characteristics, and to believe only what we could prove: a goal which could only be attained by long preparation. In such a case most people would die, without having known whether there was a God or not, much less that certain things must be asserted about Him, and other things denied as defects. From such a fate not even" one of a city or two of a family" (Jer. 3:14) would have escaped.
הלא תראה - כי האלוק יתברך כשרצה להשלימנו ולתקן עניני המונינו בתורותיו המעשיות - אשר לא יתכן זה אלא אחר דעות שכליות תחלתם - השגתו ית' כפי יכלתנו - אשר לא יתכן זה אלא בחכמת האלוהות - ולא תגיע החכמה האלוקית ההיא אלא אחר חכמת הטבע, כי מדע הטבע תוחם את המדע האלוקי, וקודם לו בזמן הלימוד, כמו שהתבאר למי שעין בזה - ולזה שם פתיחת ספרו ית' ב'מעשה בראשית' אשר הוא חכמת הטבע כמו שבארנו
We must first form a conception of the Existence of the Creator according to our capabilities; that is, we must have a knowledge of Metaphysics. But this discipline can only be approached after the study of Physics: for the science of Physics borders on Metaphysics, and must even precede it in the course of our studies, as is clear to all who are familiar with these questions. Therefore the Almighty commenced Holy Writ with the description of the Creation, that is, with Physical Science; the subject being on the one hand most weighty and important, and on the other hand our means of fully comprehending those great problems being limited.
Rav Sherira Gaon - Teshuvot Hageonim
Our sages were not doctors and said what they did based on experience with the diseases of their time. Therefore, there is no commandment to listen to the sages [regarding medical advice] because they only spoke from their opinion based on what they saw in their day.
Carl Sagan / The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. When we recognize our place in an immensity of light‐years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty, and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual. So are our emotions in the presence of great art or music or literature, or acts of exemplary selfless courage such as those of Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr. The notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a disservice to both (The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark)
EXCERPT FROM RAV LICHTENSTEIN: "A CONSIDERATION OF SYNTHESIS FROM A TORAH POINT OF VIEW
Secular studies possess immense intrinsic value insofar as they generally help to develop our spiritual personality. Time and again, they intensify our insight into basic problems of moral and religious thought. History and the sciences show us the divine revelation manifested in human affairs and the cosmic order. The humanities deepen our understanding of man: his nature, functions, and duties. In one area after another a whole range of general studies sustains religion, supplementing and complementing it, in a sense deeper and broader than we have hitherto perceived....Nor should we be deterred by the illusion that we can find everything we need within our tradition. As Arnold insisted, ane must seek "the best that has been thought and said in the world," and if in many areas, much of that best is of foreign origin, we should expand our horizons rather than exclude it. "Accept the truth," the Rambam urged, “from whomever states it.“
...The explicitly systematic discussions of Gentile thinkers often reveal to us the hidden wealth implicit in our own writings. The Gentiles, furthermore, have their own wisdom, even of a moral and philosophic nature. Who can fail to be inspired by the ethical idealism of Plato, the passionate fervor of Augustine, or the visionary grandeur of Milton? Who can remain unenlightened by the lucidity of Aristotle, the profundity of Shakespeare or the incisiveness of Newman?... To deny that many fields have been better cultivated by non-Jewish than Jewish is to be stubbornly and unnecessarily chauvinistic. There is nothing in our medieval poetry to rival Dante and nothing in our modern literature to compare with Kant and we would do well to admit it. We have our genius, and we have bent it to the noblest of pursuits, the development of torah. But we cannot be expected to do everything.
Objections and obstacles